To top it off, on the same day, he had a phone call from North Melbourne coach Brad Scott, telling him he had been given a one-year football lifeline.

“I was over the moon,” Firrito told the Herald Sun this week. “It was the best day of my life — to see my little boy for the first time.”

Firrito leads the AFL for intercept possessions since his first game this season in Round 4. Picture: Wayne LudbeySource:News Corp Australia

“It all happened in a 24-hour period. On the same day I got the news that we were going to be going around for another year.”

Fast forward nine months, and Firrito is thriving on his still relatively new role of fatherhood, spending as much time with his son as his busy schedule allows.

“It’s a very different house these days,” he said. “Footy can be all consuming sometimes and you can get caught up in the bubble.

“But when you get home at night and see your son, it just all puts everything into perspective.”

Firrito has also turned the clock back on his AFL career in that time. It’s a turnaround that some people — perhaps even himself in his darker football moments last year — feared would never happen.

“It’s been good so far,” he said of his outstanding 2014 form. “I was certainly tested last year and I think I have responded.”

Firrito has been one of the Kangaroos’ most important player this season. Picture: Colleen PetchSource:News Corp Australia

“I guess you always have some doubts as a footballer. But I always felt as if I wasn’t at my best physically last year and deep down I knew that if I could get my body right, I would be OK.

“That’s why I was grateful that Brad and the club showed faith in me. Hopefully, I have been able to repay that a bit.”

That’s an understatement. Firrito, 30, has been one of the Kangaroos’ most important players this season, rebounding and intercepting like he did in some of his best seasons, and extinguishing any doubts that some might have on what volume of petrol he had left in his tank.

He missed the first three games of this season, spending time in the VFL, but since his return to the senior side, he hasn’t looked back.

Heading into tonight’s game against Carlton, Firrito leads the AFL in intercept possessions since Round 4 — with 92 — and is ranked third overall for intercept marks.

He has also averaged more than 400 metres gained in his 12 games this season. Insiders believe he could be ranked in the top five or six in the club’s best-and-fairest count now.

Firrito was all smiles at training during the week. Picture: Wayne LudbeySource:News Corp Australia

All of this has meant he has set his sights on the back half of this season for another finals campaign — the club’s first since 2012 — but also personally with renewed confidence of playing on again next season.

“I would love to keep going if that works out,” the 222-game player said.

“There have been some good times for the club while I’ve been here. We made the preliminary final one year (2007). But there have also been some tough times.

“It’s an exciting time for our footy club now and I’d like to stay a part of it. I would love to keep going around if it works out that way.”

Few would have thought that was an option 12 months ago when the veteran defender was dropped for the Round 17 match, spending four weeks in the VFL before being an emergency for one game.

Off-season surgery limited Firrito’s preparation heading into last pre-season, and it contributed to some indifferent form and issues with his right knee and quad.

Firrito has played on some of the AFL’s best forwards in his career. Picture: Colleen PetchSource:News Corp Australia

“I felt it impacted on me,” he said. “I wasn’t at my best physically. I really battled.

“It was a bit of a cumulative effect. I wasn’t training during the week. I was out of form and it all got on top of me a bit.”

Through it all, Firrito had the support of his coach, who described him to the media at the time as “the heart and soul” of the Kangaroos, yet there was a serious doubt playing on in 2014.

“I think some people thought I might have been done,” he said. “Doubts did creep into my mind, but I had some good people around me — my family, my wife, the coach, and my close mates around the club.”

Then, just in time. Firrito won his senior spot back for the final two games of the season where he had to fill some gaps in defence on Lance Franklin and Travis Cloke. While both forwards kicked five goals, he performed well enough to convince him and his coach he had more to give.

“I felt like I had a reasonable game (on Franklin) and then the next week played on Cloke,” he said. “They were not my ideal roles, but I did what I had to do for the team.

“I felt like I had my power back. I felt like I had my agility back as well as the speed that allows me to be a good player. Brad backed me in which I am really grateful for, and I’ve been able to stay out on the park this year.”

The Kangaroos are in a better place, too, though Firrito knows that although they have beaten all of the top four sides, their inconsistency still needs to be overcome.

“It’s been a bit up and down for us (this year), but if we start being a bit more consistent, we will be fine,” he said.

“We haven’t been able to put our finger on why it (the consistency) hasn’t been there. But we will keep working hard at training, we have worked at a higher intensity and our fitness levels are better.

“Since Brad has come on board, we have had a fairly settled side. Our young guys are not young any more. Some of those guys have now played upwards of 50 games and close to the 100-game mark.”

The Kangaroos have won 10 of their 16 games, including the past two against reigning premier Hawthorn and last-placed St Kilda, leading into tonight’s game against Carlton.

“We’ve got six games to go, and we see this as our chance to hit our straps,” he said. “We’ve just got keep working hard and making the most of our chances.”

Firrito, the reborn and rebounding Roo, has done that — and much more — this season.

‘SPUD’ STEALER

Michael ‘Spud’ Firrito leads the AFL for intercept possessions since his first game this season in Round 4 ...

Intercepts Round 4-17

Michael Firrito (NM) 92

Lynden Dunn (Melb) 91

Cale Hooker (Ess) 91

Troy Chaplin (Rich) 85

Ted Richards (Syd) 84

Michael Hurley 94

— Has also had 29 intercept marks this year, which ranks equal third in that time

— Has averaged 408 metres gained per game, which ranks second at North Melbourne

— Is averaging 17.7 possessions per game, three more than last season, and four Rebound 50s, the equal most of his career

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